Lady Rebel Golfers Set To Begin Year In South Carolina

OXFORD, Miss. With one of the top golfers in the SEC leading the way, the Ole Miss women’s golf team will begin the 2008-09 campaign Sunday, at the Cougar Classic hosted by the College of Charleston in Hanahan, S.C.  This marks the second year in a row, for the Lady Rebels to begin the year at this tournament.

The 54-hole tournament begins on Sunday and concludes on Tuesday.   The field features six teams in the preseason Golfweek Rankings, including No. 9 Georgia, No. 10 Alabama, No. 13 LSU, No. 14 Virginia, No. 20 North Carolina and No. 22 Notre Dame.

Ole Miss will be led by senior Dori Carter, who is coming off an outstanding season last year, in which she earned honorable mention All-America and All-SEC first team honors.   

Junior Sara Grantham picked up steam this summer with her play, winning the Alabama State Amateur and finishing second at the Tennessee State Open.   One of three seniors on the squad, J.J. Flynn will also be making the trip.

Making their debuts this weekend will be freshmen Haley Millsap and Kirsty Rands.  Millsap, a native of Pace, Fla., won numerous AJGA, SJGT and AJGT events in high school.  She qualified for the 2005 and 2006 USGA Girls Championship and the 2007 PGA Junior Championship. This summer, she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

A native of Bath, England, Rands finished 34th in the British Ladies Amateur Strokeplay Championship.  She also took fifth in the English Ladies Amateur Strokeplay Championship.

“The team had a great summer competitive schedule and stepped back on campus eager to get started,” said head coach Michele Drinkard, in her second season at the helm.   “Our team goal is to prepare thoroughly and leave no stone unturned, then hit the road and enjoy competing.  Now it’s time to let the fun begin.  We are ready to play.”

The schedule is a challenging one this year with several elite tournaments.  Finishing out the fall, the Lady Rebels will participate in the Johnie Imes (Sept. 29-30), the Mercedes Benz (Oct. 10-12) and The Derby (Oct. 24-26). 

Ole Miss begins the spring at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate (Feb. 22-24). Following that, the Lady Rebels will play in two familiar tournaments -- the LSU Classic (March 13-15) and the Liz Murphey Collegiate (March 27-29).

For the first time since the 2000-01 season, Ole Miss will host the Lady Rebel Intercollegiate.  The three-day tournament will be held April 3-5 at the Ole Miss Golf Club.

The regular season concludes with the SEC Championship April 17-19 in Blythewood, S.C.

To follow the Lady Rebels during the Cougar Classic, go to www.OleMissSports.com and click on the live stats link in the calendar.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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